


A last interview

by theHistoriangirl



Category: City of Love: Paris (Visual Novel)
Genre: F/M, First draft of a fic that I couldn't find, Hannibal Lecter/Clarice Starling vibes, Last Encounter, MC is named, Post Season 1, Prison Talk
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-28
Updated: 2020-08-28
Packaged: 2021-03-06 20:08:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,383
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26164660
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theHistoriangirl/pseuds/theHistoriangirl
Summary: Eliette[MC] is leaving Paris after her breakup with Raphael Laurent, but before going, she talks for last time with Vincent Karm at prison for supposed threats surrounding Paris.
Relationships: Vincent Karm/MC, Vincent Karm/Main Character (City of Love: Paris), Vincent Karm/Original Character(s)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 3





	A last interview

**Author's Note:**

> English isn't my mother language so it's very likely in this story you'll find typos and mistakes in grammar and redaction.  
> I apologize upfront for them.

She hadn’t been here before, and as she walked into the area where the shady cells lined up, Eliette would have preferred never to have come.

The concrete of the smooth ceiling and the dull floor did nothing to warm the sensation that had been chasing her for days; her shoes echoed as she approached. And as she always did when she was nervous, she felt the itching on the back of her neck, because she thought that dozens of eyes saw from the cells to her, the only solitary figure walking down the semi-illuminated hallway.

Eliette remembered Vincent’s last call, just a few days before. It was relatively short and she still thought that the phone he had spoken to her was secretly obtained.

Or maybe not. Anyway, his few words reminded her of a threat. She was quite tired of them, the investigation lasted months and after the final hunt looking for Vincent’s secret lair to prevent taking over his plans to conquer Paris with the essence; she almost slept through all the plotting and thinking.

Now, months later, Vincent’s call was more annoying than mysterious. Even though, she was here now.

A part inside Eliette was stung by the curiosity of knowing what he was going to say. Another, wished she hadn’t come.

It was time after Vincent called. Because the first thought she had when she hanged out was to ignore him because it was simply _him_ , the man who had been determined to kill her and her friends who helped her to defeat him.

But as usual, things changed. Eliette always thought her life was like an endless mountain range. There was a ridge where everything was happiness and supposed peace; and then come down abruptly into a valley.

Right now, he wasn’t in a "valley," but she was feeling a little weak. Like... strange. And empty.

Something completely normal, of course, for anyone who would had decided to cancel a wedding just a few months away to the event.

Eliette sighed and walked the short distance she had left to get there. The officer guiding her walked with a problem on her left foot and the road was slower than usual, but she appreciated the extra time.

Everything was set up. In fact; Eliette only came here to talk to him before getting the first available plane to Phoenix for a quick visit to her parents and then, with all the money Raphael Laurent had paid her, to take a well-deserved long vacation around the world.

“You have a visitor, _Monsieur_ Karm”, announced the officer, with his raspy voice of so much smoking, Eliette guessed when hearing it, while shrinking. She looked for the tape of his bag secured and checked by the officers, hanging from her shoulder, and the pull she gave it was enough to make her step forward, leaning out of the bars. “Hurry up, remember you don’t have much time”.

She heard a sigh mix with a hissing that she recognized. She remembered him from his last meeting.

The cell was like any other. In fact, Eliette would not have even suspected who his owner was if he hadn’t peeked in, left his poorly lit corner and left the book he had been reading in the bed on which he was sitting.

He was clearly upset. Whether it was the officer’s jaded tone or the tone in which he told him, Eliette wasn’t sure.

Until he saw her.

Then his irritated expression gave way to a quick, surprised blink that gave way to his typical sly smile.

"You can leave, officer", he said, slowly approaching the bars, where Eliette looked at him with a frown. "I will welcome this visitor."

The officer said something she didn’t hear. then he left them alone. His steps echoing in the hallway until these had disappeared. "So", Vincent said. “What a _pleasant surprise”_ , he remarked, clearly ironic _._ “Can I help you _,_ Mademoiselle Allers?” She blinked and he paused, reaching into his pocket; Eliette had not noticed that she was still wearing her classic dark suits, even in prison. "Ah, so long without saying your name. It’s certainly refreshing to do it again".

Eliette said nothing and merely saw him, as if she wanted to know if he was mocking her, that even in here, he was still the same powerful and dangerous man who could stand up to her. _Again._

"Too bad he won’t say anything. I remembered you braver. That’s a shame." Vincent came up and lowered his voice, just a bit. "I think we’ll have to finish this great visit right now. A real real pit..."

"I want you to tell me once and for all why you called me that time." Eliette answered, with the voice low, without looking at him. "Do it quickly, Vincent." She said and observed him, being so close. "I'm leaving Paris in a few hours."

"You are making a big mistake by running away like that." Vincent replied, simply, walking back and forth in the cell, close enough to her not to have to speak up. "Because you're on the run, aren't you? Even in here, I’m still the most informed man on what’s going on in my city."

"Paris is not your city anymore", she replied, but Vincent ignored it, twisting his fingers in front of her.

"I suppose the best thing to do after breaking up with Monsieur Laurent was _to leave_." He laughed, a sarcastic sound that was not funny at all."I would never have thought of someone like you, Miss Eliette."

"I'm not running away," she replied. But it wasn’t true, and they both knew it.

"I can’t believe it, _ma chérie."_

“I am not your _chérie_ ” she grunted, taking the bars between her hands. “My plane leaves in a few hours. Just hurry up and get to the point, Vincent."

"I’m not sure, Miss Eliette. But something bad will happen in Paris sooner or later." Vincent looked at her as he said it, taking his tie and putting his hands behind his back time to time; his expression was neutral, but not so his movements. "Like a shadow approaching from a distance. And only you can stop it". 

Eliette opened her eyes and snorted at him after a moment. "Me?" She laughed, "the imprisonment is taking its toll, Vincent."

Vincent growled at her. "I’m not kidding, Miss Eliette. If you leave, you’ll regret it."

"I am tired of your threats." Eliette crossed her arms, her fingers felt cold after touching the iron of the cell. "Why don’t you say you’re the shadow you’re talking about?"

“Because, mademoiselle, _you_ are wrong in that.” Vincent frowned, he had one hand on his tie and the other in his pocket. “These plans seek to destroy Paris and I would never have such a monstrous and _vulgar_ vision.”

Eliette rolled her eyes. “Suppose I believe you, Vincent. Why me?” _,_ she said.

"You are the only person who could defeat me and you know it", he replied, with his eyes fixed on hers. "You could beat me, you can beat this. And anything", he added, smiling at her as strangely as only he could. Eliette was troubled and took a step back, "I would say."

"I didn’t do it alone", she replied and something inside her yanked. And it hurt her. "And you know it too."

"You belittle yourself, Miss Eliette", Vincent commented. "I am impressed. Why?"

Eliette rubbed her arm. "Nothing you cared about", she cut, "or rather, nothing you doesn’t know."

"I hear people talking", Vincent told her, looking the other way before muttering: "So, how you're doing?"

"Do you really want to know?" She replied with derision.

"Can I tell you something?", Vincent ignored her. "I’m not surprised at all. I’m surprised how long it took you to understand it, though."

Eliette tightened the strap on her bag. "Understand it", she repeated, whispering it in that quiet room. "It’s my cue to go."

"You are too much for someone like Raphael Laurent and you know it", Vincent continued, quietly. "If you want to hear my opinion, you did the right thing."

"You did not—"

"Let me guess, you were going to say I don’t know anything? Perhaps I don't", he agreed, stretching his fingers in front of them. "But I can tell that someone with your spirit and temperament cannot stay with someone so...", he paused, while searching for words. "Boring. Like him."

Eliette didn’t say anything.

"How long did it last, at the end?" Vincent said, his voice echoed in the space between them, while everything around was in the silence that preceded the afternoon. "A few months? It’s quite a while being so different poles. Although", he added, blinking towards her, "it was clear that you would be together. Just for a while, until you woke up from the novelty. Tell me", he commented, stepping forward to the point that his sack brushed against the bars, "am I right?"

Finding no answer, Vincent sighed. "You deserve someone better, _ma chérie."_

She laughed at him, a short, dry laugh. "Someone better? Like who?" She looked up at him. "You?"

Vincent raised an eyebrow. "I certainly didn’t think of that option, but—"

"Enough."

"It’s the truth, _ma chérie._ And the truth usually hurts." Vincent looked at her and raised a hand tentatively, as if to touch her. "I suppose it would not be a good idea to give my congratulations to Monsieur Laurent, would it?"

She squinted her eyes.

"Just let me go", Eliette replied with a tired sigh, although they both knew she could turn around and Vincent wouldn’t call her back.

"Don’t go, Miss Eliette. I mean it to you, Paris needs you now."

_And me,_ it floated imaginary in the air and in the mind of the woman.

She shook her head. "Find someone else to believe this. I have a flight to take."

"You will regret it" Vincent answered through the cell, surrounding the bars with his hands. "When we meet again, it will be too late."

"Whatever", Eliette shouted. "Put your hounds to look for that shadow and let them they destroy it. I’m kinda busy."

"Busy running away from your sentimental problems? It’s a shame."

Eliette snarled and slammed closer to the cell, hitting the bars with her hands open before closing her hands around a pair. Vincent was watching her from a short distance, his vivid green eyes watching her movements curiously.

"Why don’t you just admit that _you don’t want me to leave?"_ She snorted at him, "that you don’t want me to leave because _you like me."_

Vincent laughed. "Anyone would think that it is not necessary to admit it", he smiled, taking a step back. "As you wish to believe, Miss Eliette. Leave if you wish so. We’ll meet again and you’ll check my words."

"Your threats do not scare me, Vincent."

"It is not a threat, _ma chérie._ I assure you." In a quick move, he smiled at her as a lion would before capturing its prey and, perhaps it was a flickering light from the hallway, but Eliette thought, Vincent had winked at her. "Until then."

"Until never", she replied, "Vincent."

" You will return", he replied slightly as she walked back to the entrance, where her bags were ready to leave. "It’s a promise. And you’ll wish you’d never left."

The silence of the footsteps away from him was the only thing he heard in response. Vincent breathed a sigh and returned to his place, sitting on the hard, old cot in the cell. It was so cold in that place...

He swallowed a grunt. The truth was that Eugene had just warned him about Eliette’s situation because Raphael Laurent had run away from Paris a few days ago. Eliette was still here, but almost.

Vincent may have been incarcerated, but he still had enough power and enough resources not to let himself go. Soon, with a little effort, he would be the same as always, even if he were in these deplorable conditions, couldn’t get out of these four walls.

He had found some information about strange movements in Paris, the shadows and that mysterious sect that reminded him of the sect of the Count de Saint Germain were stirring around the city, something that strangely had not happened when he had marched on his plan to sell Foliè to Deux to put Paris at his feet.

He didn’t have to think too hard about who he might call, one of his little tricks. One of the first.

However... this was not expected. Or, well, it did, but it was not expected that the reply of someone as agile and brave as she was would leave Paris after her relationship with Monsieur Laurent had failed.

He figured it must have felt pretty bad to end up like that, and as close as they had been to a wedding. But at least it wasn’t a divorce.

He looked at the wall and flipped through his book without paying too much attention. In a few hours, Eliette Allers would leave Paris with no returning plans. What would happen then? Vincent didn’t want to think about it.

He was locked up and, unfortunately, his emporium was under arrest. While he still had informants, they were quite few and he knew very well that together they could not do what Miss Eliette had done.

_Defeat him._

She could have defeated that shadow that the Knights were hunting among the Parisian districts before it gained enough strength to become a danger.

But now... Vincent swallowed.

_She’d have to go back._ Something had linked her to Paris, and maybe he owed it all to Hëloise with her riddle and the essence. Anyway, he was sure he was thinking about facts. Eliette Allers would fight for her city again with all her soul as she had fought for it for the first time, and it was in his best interest to be on her side this time.

He’d see her again, sooner or later. When that happened, things would be very different, so they would continue to change, leading them in unexpected ways. Although, Vincent was almost certain, he hoped that they would both go together for those paths.


End file.
